Interview with Emmanuel Schalit, CEO of OceanWings – scaling wind-assisted propulsion systems and dry bulk retrofits for the maritime energy transition.
As the maritime sector faces tightening decarbonization mandates and escalating fuel expenses, wind-assisted propulsion has transitioned from an experimental novelty into a mainstream commercial asset. In this in-depth exchange, Emmanuel Schalit, CEO of OceanWings, outlines the strategic and technical framework behind the recent MARIA TOPIC dry bulk retrofit and the operational lessons learned from the Canopée’s 250,000 nautical miles of service. From calculating precise return on investment to managing complex aerodynamic loads and aligning with classification societies, Schalit breaks down how wind can act as an immediate hedge against carbon pricing and fuel volatility.
Section I: Bunkering Economics & Market Realities
Shifting from Pilot to Priority
Bunker Market: Wind-assisted propulsion has historically been viewed as a green novelty. How fundamentally has the commercial climate shifted for shipowners regarding wind today?
Emmanuel Schalit: The conversation has shifted significantly from experimentation towards commercial deployment. Owners are now asking about retrofit feasibility, fuel savings, payback and operational integration. We also see fleet orders becoming more common. And we now have real-world evidence: Canopée has operated commercially with four OceanWings for 250,000 nautical miles. Most recently, MARIA TOPIC has returned to commercial service following its wingsail retrofit, taking that experience into mainstream dry bulk shipping.
Hedging Against Fuel Volatility
Bunker Market: How does integrating Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems (WAPS) act as an insurance policy against bunker price volatility and regional carbon levies like the EU ETS?
Emmanuel Schalit: Wind reduces the amount of fuel a vessel needs, regardless of whether that fuel is conventional LNG, methanol, ammonia or another future pathway. That gives owners a natural hedge against both bunker-price volatility and carbon costs such as the EU ETS. As lower-carbon fuels will remain very expensive for the foreseeable future, every tonne avoided becomes more valuable. Wind therefore addresses emissions while reducing exposure to future energy and regulatory costs.
Overcoming Capital Allocation Hesitation
Bunker Market: Many shipowners are cautious about capital expenditure amidst an uncertain macroeconomic landscape. How does OceanWings frame the return on investment (ROI) and payback period for a WAPS retrofit?
Emmanuel Schalit: We assess ROI vessel by vessel because route, speed, fuel consumption, remaining vessel life and wind conditions all matter. In today’s fuel-price environment, payback periods of two to three years are increasingly achievable for suitable applications. Our LNG carrier engineering study, for example, projected payback below four years.
Section II: Retrofits vs. Newbuilds
Unlocking the Existing Fleet
Bunker Market: Why is the commercial focus shifting so aggressively toward retrofitting existing tonnage rather than waiting for future newbuild cycles?
Emmanuel Schalit: There is not really a shift. The market will be 50/50. Newbuilds allow optimisation around wind from the outset, but fleet renewal alone cannot deliver reductions quickly enough. Many existing ships will remain operational for decades. MARIA TOPIC demonstrates the alternative: an approximately 200-metre Ultramax has been retrofitted with a commercial-scale OW363 wingsail while preserving its existing cargo arrangement. Retrofit therefore allows today’s fleet to start reducing fuel consumption without waiting for replacement tonnage.
Managing Yard Time and Commercial Downtime
Bunker Market: For a commercial operator, vessel downtime translates directly to off-hire losses. How does OceanWings approach the logistics of retrofitting a vessel without disrupting tight commercial schedules?
Emmanuel Schalit: The key is to treat installation as an industrial retrofit programme, not simply delivery of a wingsail. Structural engineering, class approval, production, transport and ship interfaces should be completed well before arrival at the yard, with preparatory work aligned wherever possible with scheduled maintenance. MARIA TOPIC is an important proof point: Topic confirmed that the OceanWings retrofit was successfully completed within the vessel’s planned dry-dock period.
Section III: Inside the Maria Topic Ultramax Project
Milestones in Bulk Carrier Retrofitting
Bunker Market: What makes the Maria Topic vessel type and project so critical for the dry bulk market?
Emmanuel Schalit: MARIA TOPIC matters because this is an operating Ultramax, not a purpose-built demonstrator. The retrofit brings a full-scale rigid, tiltable wingsail into a vessel type with demanding cargo and deck constraints. It demonstrates the production, delivery and installation pathway for dry bulk retrofits while preserving commercial functionality. The next step is operational evidence, with initial service insights planned to be shared at SMM in September.
Structural Engineering & Load Distribution
Bunker Market: From an engineering standpoint, what are the primary challenges of mounting a massive rigid wingsail onto an existing Ultramax hull structure?
Emmanuel Schalit: The challenge is not simply supporting the weight of the wing. Aerodynamic forces must pass through the pedestal and foundation into an existing hull structure, requiring local reinforcement and verification of wider structural effects. Engineers must also reassess weight, centre of gravity, windage and stability. MARIA TOPIC shows why retrofit engineering is vessel-specific. The wingsail has to become an integrated ship system rather than additional deck equipment.
Cargo Operations and Deck Practicalities
Bunker Market: Bulk carriers frequently utilize deck cranes and grabs. How does the OceanWings system accommodate day-to-day cargo loading and port operations?
Emmanuel Schalit: Cargo functionality drove the MARIA TOPIC arrangement. The vessel has five holds and four deck cranes, so the OW363 was positioned on the forecastle, outside the principal cargo-handling area, preserving crane movements and hatch access. The wing is also tiltable, while its secondary aerodynamic element folds against the main element before lowering. This reduces its envelope when necessary and helps maintain port access and operational flexibility.
Section IV: Technology, Class Approvals, & Software
Gaining Class Trust: The Role of AiPs
Bunker Market: You’ve secured vital Approvals in Principle (AiPs) from classification societies like ABS alongside continuous DNV evaluations. How crucial are these steps in reassuring conservative financiers and technical managers?
Emmanuel Schalit: Class involvement is fundamental because owners and financiers need confidence not only that the technology is safe, but that projected performance is credible. DNV has validated our high-fidelity aerodynamic methodology, which combines CFD simulations and wind-tunnel measurements and aligns with the highest ITTC fidelity levels. That provides an independently verified, repeatable basis for evaluating propulsion power, expected savings, regulatory impact and ultimately the investment case.
The Power of Algorithmic and AI Control
Bunker Market: Hardware is only part of the equation. How does OceanWings leverage advanced software and real-time AI to optimize propulsion performance?
Emmanuel Schalit: OceanWings is fully automated, continuously adjusting wing orientation and aerodynamic settings according to wind conditions, vessel speed, course and operational constraints. Our current algorithmic control already delivers high performance. Looking ahead, we are also seeing impressive results from specialised AI frameworks, which will unlock additional gains beyond traditional software approaches, particularly as wind propulsion becomes more closely integrated with routing, speed optimisation and onboard energy management.
Hydro-Aerodynamic Synergy
Bunker Market: When a wingsail generates massive sideways and forward forces, how do you prevent adverse effects on the vessel’s steering and hydrodynamics?
Emmanuel Schalit: We evaluate performance at whole-vessel level rather than looking at aerodynamic thrust in isolation. A wingsail produces both forward and transverse forces; the latter can create leeway and additional rudder demand. OceanWings are ideal because they generate much less transverse force than other systems. Our modelling therefore combines wing aerodynamics with hull, rudder and propeller behaviour, accounting for those hydrodynamic losses. Placement is also important: our LNG carrier study specifically examined wing positioning to reduce yawing moment and rudder-induced drag.
Section V: The Horizon & Industry Outlook
Scaling the Industrial Supply Chain
Bunker Market: As demand for WAPS accelerates, how is OceanWings preparing its supply chain to scale up manufacturing without bottlenecking shipowners?
Emmanuel Schalit: Our approach is to use existing industrial capacity rather than create an entirely new supply chain. There are strong synergies with the wind-turbine industry in composites, large structures, automation and assembly. Modularity is equally important: components can be transported efficiently and assembled close to installation locations. MARIA TOPIC is significant here because it demonstrates not just the technology, but OceanWings’ ability to manufacture, deliver and deploy it through a commercial shipyard.
Overcoming Remaining Market Skepticism
Bunker Market: What would you say to conservative technical directors or chief engineers who remain skeptical about introducing moving mechanical structures onto the weather deck?
Emmanuel Schalit: Skepticism should be answered with operational evidence. Canopée has now sailed 250,000 nautical miles with four automated OceanWings, demonstrating that rigid wingsails can operate reliably in commercial service. Two-year results reported fuel savings of up to 2.2 tonnes per day with approximately 99% wingsail uptime. MARIA TOPIC now extends that experience into the retrofit dry bulk market, where simplicity, robustness and operational compatibility were central design requirements.
The 2030 Horizon for Bunkering & Energy
Bunker Market: Looking toward 2030, how do you see the relationship evolving between bunker suppliers, alternative fuel adoption, and wind propulsion across the global fleet?
Emmanuel Schalit: We see wind and alternative fuels as complementary rather than competing pathways. Wind has the advantage of being ready for deployment at scale today. The objective is to reduce the vessel’s underlying energy requirement first, meaning less conventional or expensive low-carbon fuel needs to be bunkered. That logic applies across vessel types: it is already demonstrated operationally on Canopée and now entering dry bulk through MARIA TOPIC, while our LNG carrier work shows how the same principle could extend into other fuel-intensive segments.
OceanWings in Brief
OceanWings is a French maritime technology pioneer specializing in automated, reefable, and retractable wingsails. While wind propulsion is an ancient concept, OceanWings has modernized it into a high-tech “propulsion-as-a-service” solution that treats wind as a predictable, high-performance fuel source.
Elite Heritage: From America’s Cup to Commercial Cargo
The technology behind OceanWings wasn’t born in a lab; it was born on the racetrack. The concept was developed by VPLP Design, the world-renowned naval architects responsible for the wingsail that propelled BMW Oracle Racing to victory in the 2010 America’s Cup.
Unlike “soft” sails, these are rigid, two-element foils, similar to an airplane wing, that generate significantly more lift and thrust. OceanWings successfully industrialised this high-speed racing tech into a robust, “marinized” version capable of surviving decades in the harsh conditions of the open ocean.
The “Smart” Sail: Automation & AI
For modern bunkering and shipping operations, “simplicity” is key. OceanWings are 100% automated, meaning they require no specialized crew.
- Adaptive Trimming: The system uses AI and machine learning to sense the wind and adjust the wings’ angle of attack and camber (curve) in real-time.
- Reefable and Retractable: In extreme weather or for port clearance (Air Draft), the wingsails can be lowered or folded, ensuring they never interfere with cargo operations or safety.
Source: OceanWings